The Music Theory of Tik Tok Sea Shanties

Arrr you ready to analyze some sea shanties?!
Get CuriosityStream AND Nebula for less than $12 per year (41% off!) curiositystream.com/adamneely
The extended version of this video
watchnebula.com/videos/adam-n...
0:00 Intro
1:02 History and origin of Sea Shanties
3:40 Type of Sea Shanties and their musical characteristics
6:56 Analyzing vocal syllable content (ft. Mama Neely)
8:45 A brief meme history of the Wellerman/Tik Tok Shanties
11:18 Antiphonal Music
Some sources
bit.ly/3sNaFAS
Very cool website where you can hear field recordings from Alan Lomax of sea shanties, work songs, and more!
research.culturalequity.org/
(⌐■_■)
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Peace,
Adam

[@AdamNeely]

Hey y'all, you can watch the extended version of the video here! watchnebula.com/videos/adam-neely-the-music-theory-of-sea-shanties-extended Get CuriosityStream AND Nebula for less than $12 per year (41% off!) curiositystream.com/adamneely

[@justinusjulius5007]

I needed this video, thank you Adam!

[@LupinoArts]

I'd so love to join Nebula. But unfortunately, they still are only accessible to people that own a credit card...

[@franksanteugini1071]

i am registering my discontent at the closing off of sections of your videos for use exclusively on Nebula.

[@mikoajp.5890]

@@LupinoArts debit card worked by me

[@charliewootton8748]

I have nebula, but I rarely visit the site until someone tells me that they put something extra there. just a thought about that platform. love the extra work though!

[@hugokentmovies4690]

If you played a drinking game for every time Adam said "seamen", you would be disappointingly sober.

[@groofay]

Honestly, probably deliberate on his part.

[@drtyslzy]

Thanks for the heads up. I’m gonna find his other semen videos.

[@notibutthespicegirls9372]

"seapersons"

[@Schwa_Iska]

I'm often disappointed by Adam's lack of seamen

[@onesyphorus]

well... thanks for ruining it, bud lmao

[@flutechannel]

Bill Wurtz is back and I got a sea shanty deep dive. The world is good

[@svetlanakholmetskaya6282]

We also need Sam O'Nella to come back and we're good

[@aimilios439]

@@svetlanakholmetskaya6282 Amen.

[@flutechannel]

@@svetlanakholmetskaya6282 omg yes

[@neerithedragon298]

WOW Shit. I didnt know! Thanks!

[@jareknowak8712]

Bill Wurtz next song: 2024 :)

[@ultimateninjaboi]

A friend of mine, a history major/buff with an interest in the age of sail, would always distinguish the true shanties from the sailor folk songs like this: "Shanties were the songs you sing on the ship. The folk songs were the songs you sing in the tavern."

[@Voxelize]

The "ho" is a lot like the "tia", "kia", "kiyup" from martial arts. All the exhale energy goes into kicks and punches.

[@KramerPacer2]

Or a "skrr skrr"!

[@itsmarialifestyle4355]

It was necessary when they were pulling the roars taking breath and keeping rythm.

[@irenecamargomacedo6626]

“Oh!”

[@m1l22]

Pfff. Kia

[@johndelgadillo2815]

Im a second degree blackbelt and i agree

[@ashahrenhoerster]

Devastated to learn that world-famous Spotify playlist "sea shanties for thots" is actually composed of sea folk songs for thots

[@ciaranfrisby7275]

There are some shanties in it to

[@iserlon]

I too, listen to that playlist.

[@Vinc90]

There also one called "Literally Sea Shanties" which is just such a bold lie!

[@stiltpuppy]

I thought I was alone

[@0Clewi0]

@@Vinc90 I guess one "Actuallu Sea Shanties" is needed

[@KennethWestervelt]

Adam's Mom: "Breath informs motion." Me: "Sea shanties are a working man's yoga."

[@samwallaceart288]

(Slams desk)

[@jbvin]

Not too far off actually, I did a whole vocal workshop where the instructor combined Yoga breath techniques with the vocal exercises and there's really a lot of overlap. Having also trained martial arts you could also relate the "H" exhalation sounds on a work beat to the "Kiai" (think the "hi-ya" from every martial arts movie) which was designed to train you to engage all your muscles in tandem which means a stronger strike. So shouting "haul" when you pull actually helps you pull harder/avoid injury, which is largely the function of Yoga (outside of the spiritual stuff).

[@Proud_Knight]

"What kind of music do you listen to?" "I mainly like stuff that's Shanty-adjacent"

[@galacticbob1]

You're listening to WSEA - the best of today's shanty and shanty-adjacent music! 🎶 Stay tuned, ye rum-soaked barnacles, as we go through the top forrrrrty! 🏴‍☠️ That's two score, for you bilge-drinking parrots that can't count past ten without removing yer boots.

[@shinnybubbles9118]

this was my legitimate "I liked it before it was cool" brag

[@brandoncrabb7195]

same same, started my addiction when AC Black Flag came out and ever since then I've looked for them everywhere

[@andreww830]

@@brandoncrabb7195 Same here!

[@bassforhire555]

Same bruv

[@swedneck]

@@brandoncrabb7195 randomly stumbling upon "bully in the alley" is what got me into shanties

[@nm3k511]

AC4 was what got me to liking Sea shanties, good shiz

[@songnotes]

You won me over at Vox-ass explainer 👍 nice job!

[@jannisopel]

Vox-esque is what he said. But you have me entertained with that misheard word.

[@konkey-dong]

@@jannisopel nope - look at the tweet - it says 'pop journalist Vox-ass'

[@sanjayyethipathi]

i had to laugh at avro färt

[@lhrosts7082]

Vox ass-explainer

[@LoraCoggins]

"Behold I will be your worst nightmare" Amazing comeback!

[@nahte-]

3:00 that is the most amount of alliteration that i have ever fucking heard

[@Innuya]

You must not watch a lot of CGPGrey

[@K.D.Meyers]

I thought it would end but it just kept going 😆😆

[@iserlon]

omg you're right it was so smooth I didn't even notice it

[@krosskancelvlogs]

how did i miss this

[@frenchcatgoesham9665]

Yeah, also his face expressions are priceless xD

[@gthobaben]

Geez I was not expecting a convincing explainer on why TikTok shanties fill a profound spiritual void in the age of COVID. But damn it, you’ve done it.

[@saraalemayehu7951]

2:38 Holy shit today I learned that the song "Hey Mama" by Nikki Minaj and Bebe Rexha includes a sample from a southern black prison work song.

[@xiuying1212]

This is exactly the comment I was looking for!

[@RudyAyoub]

The video we all needed

[@kaiserped]

Yes bro

[@guitarfumar]

Skervy

[@felipelopes7664]

[insert rudy's jokes here] bro

[@sergeantslowpoke1550]

absolutely bro now when can I buy your guitar for 5 usd euros

[@D_o_n_k_e]

But didnt deserve

[@gabrielleao7406]

I'm a Historian, and my specialty is the history of Sea Shanties. And honestly, this video made me so happy! The information is absolutely correct, and for a KZbin video it is absolutely perfect. Congrats, bro, this is great work. PS.: Quoting Stan Hugill was one hell of a brilliant move, as he's not well known nowadays, but he was a big name to refer to when talking about Shanties.

[@hultonclint]

??? Hugill wan't even a "scholar." I mean, he "researched" and put his books together, but if you were a historian you'd know how problematic they are.

[@gabrielleao7406]

@@hultonclint not in a conventional way, of course, but he is responsible (and I say this accordingly to Graeme J. Milne, lecturer at the University of Liverpool) to bring the Shanties to attention in many ways, including academically. He put stuff together and also built a decent narrative to an underrated object of study.

[@gabrielleao7406]

@@hultonclint at least he is extensively regarded by lots of scholars as some kind of a godfather to the theme.

[@gabrielleao7406]

@@hultonclint you can also check out Milne's article to which I refer in this case. It's called "Collecting the sea shanty: British maritime identity and Atlantic musical cultures in the early twentieth century", published in the International Journal of Maritime History. It's DOI is 10.1177/0843871417693997. And please, let's keep things friendly, bro. You don't have to act so aggressively and imply that I haven't got the diploma I worked so hard to earn.

[@hultonclint]

@@gabrielleao7406 I agree Hugill was enormously influential. I disagreed that he was the "definitive scholar." My analysis of Hugill's book included trying to recreate every example from Hugill's unabridged text and post them on KZbin, since 2008. I analyzed his sources for everything. His influential work ended up repeating and reemphasizing and validating (through his authentic persona) much that was just popular or fanciful or non-scholarly in the many early 20th century works on the subject. His precious contribution is his own experiential memories. However, in the resultant work it's practically impossible to separate these from all the bad data that he read and did not critique.Not to mention what Hugill just made up at the time of writing; he played very fast and loose with info. So after Hugill, we had this sort of finalizing effect like "Here's the last word," when actually barely anyone had done scholarly work. (Among the more scholarly are Doerlinger and Roger Abrahams.) I wrote my book _Boxing the Compass: A Century and A Half of Discourse About Sailors' Chanties_ as a complete historiography of the secondary source writings about chanties, to show how they cumulatively constructed a narrative. I devote a chapter in it to Hugill's book. The thesis earlier appeared in a symposium talk at Mystic Seaport (which Milne cites, but not with reference to the theme) in 2012 and several earlier papers, and then in article in _The Nautilus_ "Twentieth-Century Editors and the Re-envisioning of Chanties" (2014, Schreffler). In 2011 I totally revamped the Wikipedia "sea shanty" page deliberately to leave nuggets that I hoped, after years, would start to shift the discourse. That is starting to bear fruit as I inserted several references to primary sources as "watermarks" in the article (including for example one image that Neely uses in this, and my "Ethnic Choices" paper that he includes in the bibliography. I can laugh at the fact that I *wanted* to shift the discourse (so that my more radical ideas would be better received) while now some of those ideas are taken as a sort of "common knowledge" that doesn't require looking into the history of those ideas. See also my article on the etymology of "chanty" (which will explain why I leave off "sea" and why I spell it "ch"), read.dukeupress.edu/american-speech/article/92/4/429/134095/The-Execrable-Term-A-Contentious-History-of-chanty and the recent statement I've circulated in the wake of so many press requests www.academia.edu/44914351/A_Statement_During_the_January_2021_ShantyTok_Trend I'm trying to make sure that this time around, while WE have the media attention, we facilitate those people inclined to decolonize the discourse. Thanks for putting up with my crankery ;) (I'm also the person singing the Caribbean chanty and hauling the cask at 4:20 in this video -- Neely took it from my YT without crediting ;) ;) )

[@geoffstockton]

Adam Neely: "Arrr you ready to analyze some sea shanties?!" Me: "Aye aye, Cap'n!"

[@DaisukeKigurou]

Adams demeanor changes around his mom, like he regresses a bit to a little kid. I can see it in his eyes and body language, I don’t think it’s a bad thing I think it’s really cute. Like no matter how old we get, we are still kids in someway.

[@rainbowrotcod]

awwwwwww

[@DasJiggly]

i want to see him interview anyone else, i promise you itll be the same. its his youtube persona that vanishes.

[@radia9098]

"The SpongeBob theme would work well as a sea shanty" *remembers the spongebob theme was used as a sea shanty in the first movie*

[@abicamoro4117]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZmwq3aVZrxjkLs

[@yeiiovv4989]

@@abicamoro4117 💛

[@ajzeg01]

The SpongeBob theme is based on the shanty Blow the Man Down.

[@gngwarlord]

We definitely used the Spongebob Squarepants theme as a jody at basic training.

[@angeloshenan1509]

Also Winnie the Pooh theme

[@thelongestjohns]

Hey! Been a big fan of your channel for a while now. Thanks for this excellent and informative video. I may have even learned a few things myself. Hope you've been having as much fun as we do learning about trad folk and shanties. The worlds gone mad and we love it!

[@connorhill1247]

Exactly the channel I was expecting to see here! Fantastic to see it considering it’s your arrangement of Wellerman which has blown up!

[@SirLightfire]

I had come across you guys from the 360 version of The Wellerman some months ago and absolutely loved it. I don't use tik tok, so I actually had no idea that it was blowing up there. Also, Oak and Ash and Thorn is my absolute favorite. You have some amazing songs

[@upstart7599]

Hey it’s the Johns! Was hoping for y’all to make an appearance. I’ve been listening for a couple years and it’s great to see you guys blow up over this stuff. Love the work!

[@noah5664]

Been a fan of you guys for awhile now, your music helped get through a lot of 2020. Love the new album too!

[@jbv776]

heres a health to the company!

[@yaelvengelen]

The recent shanty popularity made me think of the songs I've learned while practicing capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts. Our capoeira songs go back to slavery times and are filled with cultural and religious content. Now I understand why :D Really cool video, thanks!

[@quincy9908]

It's so cools seeing all the similarities across the Afro-diaspora.

[@kingkwon8002]

Twitter: “Sea shanties are about colonialism, slavery and whale slaughter!” Me, a black guy: “And it’s one for the hot sun above. Two for THE EMPIRE WE LOVE! And it’s three for the fire that burns down below. ROLLLLLL OONNN NORTHUMBRIA!”

[@yeehaw6665]

A free thinking black man!!!!!!!!1!!!!! He must not really be black!!!!!!!!!

[@sorwdofcho]

Technically that's a work song for building ships. But a good song none the less, good to know I'm not alone. Jump on in and explore the world of shanties and other work songs.

[@MrFrost77]

Roll, Northumbria, Roll, me boys!!

[@Caseyw462]

@@sorwdofcho aren't all shanties "work songs"?

[@sorwdofcho]

@@Caseyw462 yes, but those songs are specific for work being done on the ship during voyage though they can be sung anywhere. Like I sing these songs doing yardwork and it is very effective.

[@paulabrahamse1135]

"In the seminal selection of sea shanties, Sixty One Shanties from the Seven Seas, seasoned scholar and seasoned sailor Stan Hugel states..." Such a stunningly sibilant sentence.

[@idontknowwhatmyusernamesho5540]

Such a sick sequence

[@windowlizard]

So siq

[@timlicht2670]

A little alliteration in an illustration of elucidation and erudition in an ascendant tradition of assonance sans dissonance.

[@duseylicious]

“In the seminal selection of sea shanties, sixty-one’s “Shanties in the Seven Seas”, seasoned scholar and seasoned sailor Stan Hugill states:” Well done sir, well done!

[@bug2k4]

I was searching eagerly for this comment! 💪😁 Had to listen to the phrase thrice for its sheer composition :D

[@murilkaa]

I think I'm in love with a sentence

[@karlwilliams6626]

Awesome alliteration.

[@ahreuwu]

thank god for de-essers lol

[@user-dg3ug7ny5d]

Sibilance is as stunning as always.

[@qmcgraw]

I'd like to propose "Shantyesque" as an alternate to "Shanty Adjacent"

[@OrangeColt]

I like to Second this proposal

[@mobymaize]

..folk music….. or even just sea songs

[@wandererscott]

Having misspent some of my youth on the east coast of Canada, I can tell you that there are few things in life that are as much fun as singing sea shanties in the pubs with a glass of beer in hand! Thanks Adam for bringing back such fine memories!

[@tidalHeart]

Adam: TikTok shanties are a lie Me: God damn them all...

[@borismatesin]

"I was told we’d cruise the seas for American gold" ... oh, wait, we're not singing Barrett's Privateers?

[@merseyviking]

I was told we'd cruise the web for TikTok gold.

[@tristanhmusic]

@@borismatesin why not? We'd fire no guns, shed no teeears!

[@borismatesin]

@@tristanhmusic Now I'm a broken man on the Weller's Bay pier!

[@TAP7a]

@@borismatesin the last of Adam's millennial peers?

[@MedlifeCrisis]

I was excited as soon as you said you were making a video analysing shanties but I didn't expect something this amazing. The Wellerman came! In his longest johns.

[@radtech21]

Adam Neely+Medlife Crisis. My rhythmic heart may now explode!

[@paperheartzz]

Would love a video on whether hearts actually change to music rhythms.. and what are the best conditions for it!

[@MedlifeCrisis]

@@paperheartzz Kind of related: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4jXf4Gwg6mqi5Y

[@101alexs]

Dude, get back to work - the NHS doesn't pay for itself! Oh hang on, no - ignore me, Thank you and your colleagues. seriously.

[@Musicmadness101]

Shanties and work songs never cease to amaze me; how people living in some of the most unimaginable and unforgiving conditions (and typically possessing no musical training) could create such wonderful music. It is an amazing part of our history and to not engage with it would be to turn our backs on who we are.

[@hamonthecob]

Your mom pops in and then your existence makes so much more sense. She's brilliant.

[@musicianwren9248]

Exactly what I was thinking, but you put it into words!

[@reubensearle8200]

"Then your existence makes more sense"...? What?

[@hamonthecob]

@@reubensearle8200 Adam is a bit of a peculiar sort (in the best way), and his mom seems to be also, so it makes sense why Adam is peculiar.

[@-._.-KRiS-._.-]

@@hamonthecob Still unclear as to what that means.

[@peen2804]

@@-._.-KRiS-._.- it means they’re both educated forward thinking passionate individuals

[@lewys3387]

“Irish, Scottish, and English folk melodies...” please don’t forget the Welsh! We are also a country in Britain in which sea shanties and folk melodies are still a thriving tradition, moreso than any of our neighbouring countries! Otherwise, great vid again!

[@artemtheidiot]

In old Irish it was in it. But after the death of many of the older style Irish musicians there's nothing left that resembles it. Besides the Punk version. Like Rare old times, being redone by the Flogging Molly and it's just punk style. It isn't the same. I want to make the older style of Irish music, its my dream to be like Ronny Drew or Luke Kelly. They are my role models despite dying before and after I was born. Same with all the Clancy Brothers with Liam dying in 2009, literally 4 months after Ronny Drew. Makes me sad. Wish I could've met them... anyways, I want to bring that stuff back

[@claireglody1851]

@@artemtheidiot Have you heard of Lankum? They're a contemporary group doing pretty traditional stuff

[@MasikoY]

I'm come to realise people either forget about Wales all together or just toss it in with Britain

[@jabberwockthelemur2961]

of all times to forget about Wales, it's probably the most embarrassing when you're talking about whales

[@gingyswords5009]

i have all of those in my DNA. also Sweden and Germanic Europe

[@xBUMSKIx]

Leaving the “love you’s” in made my morning. Thank you for not depriving us.

[@movingforwardLDTH]

The lack of energy in his response ... 🤦🏻‍♀️ Well, he’s still young.

[@Ogaitnas900]

The music history, the meme history, the theory, the humor, the script. Every element here was great, clearly explained and seamlessly blended. You're getting crazy sharp with these videos. Anyway 😍

[@Cheyne_TetraMFG]

Another famous example of anti-phony: Holden Caulfield

[@brownie3454]

lmao

[@dragonmagoz]

Took me a few seconds, you magnificent bastard.

[@WhySoSquid]

+

[@tarab9787]

you are fantastic.

[@PilotFlo]

not bad

[@maboy8595]

It's a strange feeling when something "weird" you've always liked becomes trendy all of the sudden

[@TheR6R6R]

Be honest you must feel a little betrayed, right?

[@artemtheidiot]

@@TheR6R6R that it isnt actual shanties. Idk. I listen to old Irish music, dubliners, Clancy brothers, the Irish Rovers. And they've a lot of call and response in their music. But nobody makes that kind of music anymore, its now just celtic punk. I want to make music that brings back the older style of Irish. But like sea shanties are another thing I listen to, and I get called weird for it.

[@maboy8595]

@@TheR6R6R nah, it's more like a "Well, I knew it, you're all late" feeling, it doesn't really matter if people like it or not

[@diegonapoles2469]

popularity is fickle, sea shanties are forever

[@cashkromsupernerd1193]

@@artemtheidiot If you get the chance to go to a rendezvous, there'll often be groups doing true sea shanties, sometimes selling CD's. I grew up listening to Father, Son, And Friends this way, though I'm sure there's plenty of others too.

[@philosophiabme]

AC Black Flag was great for this reason and almost entirely this reason

[@darthplagueis13]

AC 4 was a very mediocre Assassin's Creed game but a very good pirate game.

[@typebeats5162]

One of my favorite games of the series I loved it

[@AriJWeiss]

@@darthplagueis13 what!? It’s one of the highest rated AC games of all time!

[@darthplagueis13]

@@AriJWeiss Yeah, because people really wanted a good pirate game. I'm by no means saying it's a bad game, I'm saying it does a way better job at being a pirate game than it does at being an AC game.

[@AriJWeiss]

@@darthplagueis13 I guess I see your point. I think it was enjoyable as an AC game but it’s been so long for me that I don’t fully remember

[@Jonic_P]

As a person that sometimes defaults to singing Work Songs/Drinking Songs/Folk Songs/Sea Shanties while he's working, it feels good knowing people may look at me less weirdly when I'm trying to be productive

[@seandoyle2769]

Anyone else get surprised by tears at the section on Antiphony? Man I miss gigs and big group musical sessions

[@jonnydent825]

I believe I speak for everyone when I say we stan Adam's mom.

[@dumpsterDeity]

Madam Neely!

[@monoverantus]

I legit read it as Cathryn Frieza-Neely...

[@kjwalker1315]

ジャミラ This is how I’m referring to her forever now

[@theelectricant98]

Yup

[@munzutai]

3:00 There goes my weekly dose of S's in 8 seconds. That was impressive though. How many takes was that?

[@Wonila]

Not even a wink for the unaware, what an alliteration, haha!

[@stephenutterback5704]

Yeah for real that was insane

[@pedroscoponi4905]

sssshit I hadn't even noticed ô.ô Thanks for pointing it out!

[@friendlybear4977]

Bro why did I not even notice on the first watchthrough???

[@LukasBolini]

He literally Princess Carolyn'd

[@crazychunk791]

The "were you rushung or were you draging?" killed me lmao

[@stephendalton2135]

Stan Rogers is one of the most underrated artists of the last 60 years. Truly incredible. Glad to see him get some love.

[@RockersNet]

As a Nova Scotian, I'm glad to see shanties are having their well deserved moment in the spotlight.

[@willcollings5681]

That kind of antiphony is found in a lot of celtic music before that era too, it's been a large part of the oral tradition for as long as music has existed! In Scotland for example we had waulking songs, a call-and-response used in the production of wool. These were almost exclusively in Gaelic, and have been around for a long time at this point

[@chasethehorizonx]

Exactly. Very very old. I love how they completely ignore celtic culture.

[@mlarson]

Well he is American so it's probably not educated in Celtic music. Edit I'm American too and I just googled what this guy said above me and he's right)

[@juliamacdonell]

@@chasethehorizonx He very much did not ignore Celtic music. You can see footage of Gaelic singers in a Hebridean church singing a "salm" (Gaelic for psalm) as an example of antiphony. You are clearly more unfamiliar with Gaelic language and culture otherwise, you would not have missed it. It's spine-chilling stuff. Guess you think Celtic music is just sitting around the pub for a session (God I miss sitting round the pub for a reel session...).

[@sandtreader]

Great video, even as an ancient shantyman (who has actually used them on sailing ships) I learned something about the breathing! One thing, though, you didn't mention capstan shanties, which have a continuous 2/4 beat for stomping round in circles. Drunken Sailor and South Australia are the classics. Wellerman feels like one of those to me, rather than a more lyrical 'forebitter' as you suggested.

[@alasdairdrake8507]

Just a small note. I imagine the come back was also due to Assassin's Creed Black Flag. The Shanties in that game were perfect in representation on how they would have worked as well as wonderful to listen, and as time went on, sing along with.

[@reywashere5284]

3:00 "In a seminal selection of sea shanties, 61 Shanties from the Seven Seas, seasoned scholar and seasoned sailor Stan Hugill states..." should be the opening remark in every conversation. Prove me wrong.

[@dottyjyoung]

Why would we even try???

[@dybiosol]

He went god mode

[@Budjarn]

It should be the standard starting statement in sequences of socialisation. Show that what I say is short of substance.

[@hadinossanosam4459]

Proof: too long, would get abbreviated like S.V.B.E.E.V., but S.S.S.S.S.S.S.S.S.S.S.S.S.H.S. is an abbreviation for "I'm a snake", not a conversation opener. []

[@AlexMoukalaMusic]

Let's gooo! As soon as I saw this phenomenon take over, I knew there was an Adam Neely video in the making.

[@steamedbryce]

I love this! We all have an innate desire to come together especially in a musical environment which is why communal music can be found in literally every time and place

[@itaimelamed2223]

3:00 "in the Seminal Selection of Sea Shanties Sixty one's Shanties in the Seven Seas Seasoned Scholar and Seasoned Sailor Stan Hugill States: ..." Nice one Adam!

[@tristant9686]

jazz nerds flirting be like: will you be the response to my call

[@viperdragz4403]

The I to my II V *swoon*

[@sagetmaster4]

Let's get antiphonal

[@critickid2998]

If I am V then you're my I because you complete me

[@nomadfc4342]

@@critickid2998 but i am only the V/V for her just and extra...

[@MrCG35]

Adam: Provides grounded and thoughtful analysis Me: “Hehehe...Arvo _Färt_ “

[@ayebraine]

Thank you, I studied music for about 12 years during my young years, then became a researcher/scholar, and now listening to such a competent music theory teacher is a joy.

[@katwatson007]

I'm just so impressed by your attention to detail. Yay! Next, can you make a video about land shanties? Sky shanties? SPACE shanties?

[@williammayer1150]

This is the only youtuber-parent interview I've seen that doesn't have an air of disappointment around it.

[@rross213]

The shanty man singing on “haul on the bowline” sounded so familiar to me and I couldn’t place it. It’s Dave Van Ronk! One of my favorite folk singers. He was roommates with Bob Dylan in New York before he got famous.

[@Ehzah8]

Lleweyn Davis from the Coen Bros. movie is also largely based on Van Ronk He was a really incredible performer

[@-._.-KRiS-._.-]

My grandfather's name is Dave Van Pelt. I've gone my entire life not knowing about Van Ronk. Time to fix that immediately.

[@ridgewoodvarietytimelivefr9008]

I’m from the DC area and I’m still regularly impressed with how few people know about Go Go music. Fully a shanty adjacent call and response form. Would be amazing to see an Adam Neely vox ass take on the evolution and forms of Go Go. ✌️❤️

[@saltywalt]

You've made probably the best short form, in depth explanation on this topic ever. Great choice of examples as well. I know because I've been lecturing/ performing on this topic for 20 years. Thanks! It may've been said in some 1500 comments that *I'm* not checking, but the Sponge Bob Theme already IS a chantey- It's tune is the Tops'l Halliard "Blow The Man Down."

[@searchfire3350]

I’ve written and researched a fair amount about sea shanties (notably, before the trend), especially about how different cultures contributed to work songs. Glad you spoke about this all, maybe consider looking into Railroad songs like those of “Gandy dancers”, and books like “Long Iron Bar” or “Ballad Collectors of North America” (Dan Milner) or “Work Songs” (Ted Goia) for more information about occupational music all around the world

[@cjlam270]

last time i was this early i was wondering what to do with a drunken sailor

[@joshuabergen84]

Earl eye indie mourning

[@BrownianMotionPicture]

The obvious answer is to shave his belly with a rusty razor, wait, what

[@ManuLeach]

@@BrownianMotionPicture the sailors' equivalent of drawing on them in sharpie

[@mukifona5751]

@@BrownianMotionPicture what about putting him to bed with the captains daughter? oh ehm

[@MortuusMachina]

and wey hey and up she rises

[@MizLee963]

The Celtic countries you mentioned when talking about the melodies also had their own "call and response" working songs, as with waulking songs like this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnTQeH1rmdx1q80

[@kacperfilipek8461]

that's is one good banger, not gonna lie

[@Hwyadylaw]

@@kacperfilipek8461 It's commonly called Maighread nan Cuiread

[@kacperfilipek8461]

@@Hwyadylaw thank you, i was wondering whats the actual name of the song

[@HeathsHobbyLobby]

It's interesting how some of these people try to act like Celtic countries didn't exist before the United States of America.

[@brianbjur4796]

Adam: “Mom wh-... why were there so many hos back then?”

[@JosiahMcCarthy]

Hey!

[@lollylula6399]

😂😂😂

[@GhoulieTunes]

I feel like the death of every internet trend starts with someone like Stephen Colbert going "omg my daughter showed me this video online its sooo funny you know I actually predicted stuff like this would happen-" Good video Mr Neely

[@guitarjag1]

As an Army Veteran, I can vouch for cadences bringing people together and helping to get through marches (and runs), and it does make the work of moving seem easier.

[@davidhawley1132]

I spotted Garnet Rogers in that clip of his brother Stan; I loved his debut solo album, such a wonderful voice.

[@AdelWolf]

Watched on Nebula, but can't comment there~ This is a great breakdown on some of my favorite music of all time! I'm a fucking sea chanty hipster: I've been singing and playing chanties for decades as a dirty Rennie. I was immediately drawn to shanties as a teenage band nerd who loved both history and music. The complex melodies and amazing harmonies hooked me immediately. So this viral shanty thing has just tickled all of us - welcome to the fun! And hi Mom Neely!

[@MetalMarauder]

“Digital Shantymen” is a good band name

[@Reliquancy]

Roll the zeroes and hoist the ones! We’re encoding our sugar and tea and rum! lol

[@ejones1571]

Hi I'm just here to compliment your profile picture

[@JamesJones-zt2yx]

I think I'd hold out for Cyber Shanteymen.

[@ryanthoms]

I didn’t realize that a sea shanty I sang one day would turn into a whole thing

[@fracturedframe1462]

I know right

[@daleerickson554]

it's been since music history in college (the mid-80s for me) that I have heard Shantys explained so well. Thank you, Adam. (I've tried to explain this to my 17YO daughter but discovered that if one likes the music and doesn't care for the details, it's a moot point)

[@shaughtup7554]

THE game for sea shantys is Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag - also, one of the best games ever

[@ThisNameIsVeryClever]

As weird internet fads go, it's a step up from eating Tide pods at least.

[@iantaakalla8180]

If this goes anywhere beyond a month-long trend, this will be a welcome development

[@WickedKnightAlbel]

That was never a fad. Fox News told people it was and endangered kids who would have never found out otherwise

[@robertkolinski2365]

Yes! And the ice bucket challenge. Or Mentos in Diet Coke, or videos of cats...

[@wwaxwork]

You reminded me of something I hadn't thought of for years, my father had an album of prison work songs from back in the 1940's & 50's that he played a lot when I was a kid (back in the 1970's) and I have learned more about that album from just this video than I ever knew before. Thank you for the happy memories of my Dad and for the sad understanding of just what the song were about that never dawned on me as a kid. I clearly remember a song they had for breaking rocks that had a strong call & response feel and and even ones they sang in time with the sewing machines, as an Australian kid growing up in a time before US culture was all consuming I never even began to think of the slave origins of those songs. I'm off to spend a whole lot of time on KZbin trying to find those songs again & try to learn more about them other than them being those songs on that album my Dad liked.

[@ThePhirozeDiaries]

I think David Guetta used “Rosie” in the beginning of his song “Hey Mama”, and that is amazing how a sea shanty meshed it’s way into a electronic mainstream song

[@helenakoerner5536]

Yes it was. Nicki Manaj and Bebe Rexha provided the vocals of that song as well.

[@jefftheprimordialtardigrad5219]

I have been singing sea shanties for roughly 3 years now & to see that sea shanties are becoming popular is amazing. I am also happy to see that the Longest Johns are getting recognition from the popularity as well. Thank you for the video it is quite informative.

[@QirnsChannel]

Woah, this video just gave me so much language to describe the native songs I grew up. What really blew my mind was the idea of elision. In big-drum native songs, the rhythm is usually (though not always) consistent, but you often have elision in the call and response between the lead singer and the other singers. I don't know what it's called, but in certain parts of big-drum songs the drummers all hammer on the drum at different rhythms. These (usually intro) sections are often sung much slower or seem to lack rhythm altogether (until the response comes in). I'm interested now to listen for whether or not the response rhythm rushes on top of the lead singer during these sections. Do you know anyone on youtube who has tackled Native North American music theory?

[@dottyjyoung]

I'm not native, but I am Appalachian, another tradition where we don't know music theory, but feel it in our bones. I just wanted to validate how cool that *moment* is when you realize, "I KNOW THAT!"

"Digital Shantyman" is something I never thought I'd hear... oh my lord

[@mgevirtz]

Adam, this the first video of yours I have watched. I am impressed by how good your research is. Your editing is great. Not surprisingly for someone in your line of work, your audio is on point. Your work is inspirational.

[@kevinabundo]

Love the details of your videos Adam. You are doing some GREAT Work!

[@BigDaddyWes]

Anyone ever: SEA SHANTIES! My Brain: Visions of Old School Runescape

[@static_motion]

This guy knows what's up

[@shurley96]

Huh, I've only now realised why the bit just before the Gospel at Mass is called the Antiphon.

[@pabmusic1]

Thank you so much for this. I'm very pleased to hear that shanties were sung on board merchant vessels. The Royal Navy (and, I tentatively believe) the U. S. Navy didn't allow them as they made it difficult to hear commands. They used flutes/violins/concertinas.

[@brianhatfield1473]

Excellent and interesting as usual! serendipitous as well because I ended up using "the Wellerman" as the basis of a parody song because it was easier to fit my lyrics to it v.s. the other Sea Shanty styles, and now I know why!

[@smoov22_sonic]

2:28 wait THATS where that David Guetta song got it’s sample?

[@bramschiebroek1413]

I love it when you hear samples of songs you love when you don't expect it.

[@nukebuster]

lol imagine if adam was a shanty, he'd make the lick and "repetition legitimizes" a shanty lmao I'd be totally down for it

[@givemeyourfish]

Ive been listening to trad/folk music including shanties since I was young. Always had fun at the renaissance fair with my friends as I play tin whistle. I'm just happy to see some of these bands pop off that have been making great choral music for a long time. I know its a fad but its crazy to see some of these well deserving bands have millions of views on yt now. Thanks for the video Adam! May we all see the coast again.

[@raeldrake3147]

Thank you for the detail, and the outline. Well constructed. I wish this video had been on the top of my previous 3 searches. Worth it.

[@NPJPKelso]

3:01-3:08 was a very impressive use of alliteration

[@imacds]

alt title: "The harmonic style of 18th century European Musicians of Tik Tok Sea Shanties"

[@methyod]

oof

[@davegmusicchannel]

hahahahahaha

[@NedJeffery]

LOL this is probably one of the most perfect comments I have ever seen. Right up there with "putting Descartes before the whores"

[@lamp1003]

Shanties stemmed from southern black worksong. He makes this point so many times in the video, bud.

[@davegmusicchannel]

@@lamp1003 pretty sure he's making a joke...

[@spencerj]

I really appreciate the more active editing here, it creates quick moments of humor, which allows the narration to be more steady without becoming tedious

[@rudigerstocker9896]

Thanks a lot. It was my first time watching a video from you. Actually I watched it until the end (could not stop) and I learned a lot. Perfectly produced with many examples.

[@djgray1200]

Living in Maine, growing up right next to the Canadian Maritimes, fed on Great Big Sea, I understand the pull of these songs. I don't know why they're trending but I'm here for it.

[@shadowmage36]

You're in Maine; can't forget Schooner Fare!

[@djgray1200]

@@shadowmage36 You're right. That's a sin. I have two LPs of theirs too. Oh and I should maybe mention Gordon Bok too.

[@musicjst]

"In a seminal selection of sea shanties, sixty-one's 'Shanties in the Seven Seas' seasoned scholar and seasoned sailor Stan Hugill states" ... why would you do this to yourself? 🤣

[@resourceress7]

Seminal seamen sowed the seeds of this sentiment.

[@a.man_an.island]

This was truly more fascinating than I anticipated. Great video, Adam!

[@rickvosper7318]

Great presentation, Adam. Bonus points for using both antiphony and ellison in a single video.

[@alexgallant2379]

I'm so Glad you mentioned Stan Rogers. He is so amazing. Pride of Canada to say the least!

[@spencertilton5853]

Interestingly, there are old martial arts classics that talk about using a "ha" sound when applying force

[@AlfredEiji]

Any modern moderately competent martial program would teach you the importance of kiai(JP) or kihap(KR) pretty early on. It braces the body and creates stability. It also serves as a protective measure. If you get hit, it’s safer when you have a tense body and emptier lungs.

[@jeffsmith3645]

Everybody was "Kung Fu Fighting". Ha!

[@abewin]

Hey Adam. I don’t have a music-related question or comment, but wanted to emphasize the fact your channel is now at 420 videos. Time to start afresh and leave this channel at the pinnacle of meme greatness. Cheers

[@cassiopeialyr]

I was looking up "antiphonal singing" and stumbled upon your video and LOVED it!

[@robertscorey1369]

I watched this with my bacon and eggs this morning it was “Breakfast Antiphonies.”

[@ayidas]

OMG 💀💀💀🤣 *slow clap* Well done, sir. Well done.

[@robertscorey1369]

Thank You, and Yes the bacon was crispy.

[@chrisschuett4052]

Yep. This is an underrated comment. Should be sitting towards the top soon.

[@FTForgotten425]

And I said What about, Breakfast Antiphonies? She said I Think I, Remember the fills

[@RCAvhstape]

Now get your coat

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

Stan Rogers shout-out, awesome.

[@gingerwithglasses]

Damn you! The harmony/extended part was what I was hoping for when I clicked!